Valve actuating means



Feb. 22, 1949. w, PARKER 2,462,544

' VALVE ACTUATING MEANS Original Filed June 3; 1942 2 She'ets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

1949. ,w. PARKER 2,462,544

VALVE ACTUA'I'ING MEANS Original Filed June 3, 1942 r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Feb. 22, 1949 VALVE ACTUATING MEANS Warde L. Parker, LosAngeles, Calif., assignor to United Aircraft Products, Inc., Dayton,Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application June 3, 1942, SerialNo. 445,615. Divided and this application July 12, 1945, Serial No.604,610

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a control valve and more particularly a valveof the multiple type.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved valve ofthe above character, wherein a single operating member controls the flowof fluid to and from a servomotor, which latter is provided with asingle piston and oppositely disposed piston rods, that are employed toactuate various parts of airplanes, such as ailerons, rudders, etc., asis well known in the art.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multiple valve whereinthe mechanism is extremely compact, and is attended with certainty ofoperation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multiple valve forcontrolling the flow of fluid to and from a servomotor and. forreversing the path of flow of such fluid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve of the abovecharacter which may be readily connected, or coupled, in series tothereby control a multiplicity of servomotors from a single operatingstation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a valve of theabove character which is of simple construction, and which may beeconomically manufactured.

The invention still further aims to provide novel means for selectivelyoperating the valves by or from a single actuating member, and also by aconjoint bodily sliding and pivotal movement of the member, whereby toprovide for positive and. free actuation of the valve carrying stems.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a balanced valvestructure, wherein the valve stems are effectively guided and tensioned.

Still further the invention aims to provide a valve structure whichfacilitates assemblage.

This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 445,615,filed June 3, 1942, for Control valves, upon which has been grantedPatent No. 2,393,805, dated January 29, 1946.

The invention has still further and other objectives, which will laterbe set forth, and also of themselves manifested in the course of thefollowing description,

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the invention, partly brokenaway, and with one of the bracket members for the operating leveromitted;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail bottom plan view of Figure 1, the operating leverbeing broken away;

Figure 4 is a schematic view showing servomotor and associated devices,and the valve operating lever in one of its positions; and

Figure 5 is a view similar but in fragment to Figure 4, showing thevalve operating member in a second of its positions.

In proceeding in accordance with the present invention, a housing orcasing l is provided and is formed with a pair of spaced and verticallyor longitudinally disposed valve chambers 2 and 3.

The valve chambers 2 and 3 are connected at their upper ends by ahorizontally extending fiuid passage l and at their lower ends by ahorizontally extending fluid passage 5. The upper passage 5 is providedat one end with a main inlet port 6 and at its opposite end with acombined outlet and return inlet port I, while the lower passage 5 isprovided at one end with a main outlet port 8 on the same side with andimmediately below the main inlet port 6. The opposite end of the lowerpassage 5 is further provided with a secondary outlet and return inletport 9.

The vertically disposed valve chambers 2 and 3 are further connected bya pair ofnon-communicating spaced cross passages l0 and II, the upperend of the passage [0 communicating with the valve chamber 2 adjacentthe upper end of the latter but below the passage 4, while its oppositeend is connected to the chamber 3 adjacent the lower end thereof butabove the passage 5.

The passage it has its upper end communicating with the upper end ofchamber 3 below the passage 4, while the opposite end thereof isconnected to the chamber 2 above but closely adjacent to the lowerpassage 5.

Disposed in the chambers 2 and 3 are valve assemblages, designated as Aand B, respectively, which are duplicates of each other. A descriptionof one therefore will sufiice for both. It comprises a plate I3 whichseats against a downwardly facing shoulder in the upper end of therelated chamber, and is provided with an opening M with which cooperatesa downwardly closing ball valve I5, the valve being normally held uponits seat by means of a coil spring l6 positioned between the valve andthe upper end wall of the chamber.

The periphery of the plate I3 is grooved to receive a packing H, whichengages the Wall of the chamber 2 so as to prevent the passage of fluidtherebetween.

The lower face of the plate I3 is recessed at 18, to receive the upperedge of a tubular or sleeve-like spacer IS, the latter being formed withopenings 20, to provide a passage for fluid be;-

tween the cross passage i0, opening land the upper horizontal passage 4.Below 'and'spaced from the tubular member I9 is a cylinder 22 havingintermediate its ends a partition 22' in 'which is a central openingwhich serves as a guide for a-valve operating stem-23. The periphery ofcylinder 22; is provided with packing-22". The lower end of the tubularmember! seats Within a'circular grooved packing 24 supported by theupper face of the partition 22.

' Beneath the cylinder 22 is a coll-arid having a central openingsurrounded by anupwardly extending flange between which latter and-the 7.asto urge the latter in a downward direction.

:A ported plateifi forming a seat for the-valve 28, is disposed beneathand engages the lower end-of the cylinder 27, and has its peripheraledgegrooved to receive a packing 35 to prevent "the. passage creme inmanner similar. to the first-harried packing a ll,

Asleeve-like spacer '32, which has apair of optposedports 32 formedtherein, and alined with .the lower horizontalpassage 5, has its upperend engaging the lower face of plate 3% while its lower end isreceivedwithin agrooved packing 33, the

packing being disposedin a recess 3 3, of a screw threaded'retainingplug 35, the latteracting to hold all of the aforementioned parts in.assembled relation. r V

- The plug 35 is formed with a central opening which receives andprovides a supplemental guide for the valve stem 23, the latter havingits lower end portion projecting beyond the lower the force exerted bythe enlarged end 38' of the valve operating member 38 will be in astraight line acting against the valve stems. Thus if the valve stem 23to the right of Figure 4, is to be actuated, the member 38 is shifted tothe right of Figurel, so that thespin will engage the "adjacent'kends ofthe slots and upon downward rocking of member 38, force exerted againstthe valve stem 23 will be in a straight line, and the :face of thehousing l for apurpose tobe now Ldescribed.

, Secured to the lower face of the housing I,

:and'depending therefrom-is a pair of spaced opiposed u-shaped bracketmembers ttthelower portion of each of which is formed with a double acamslot 31.

A bodily shiftable valve operating lever, 01'

.member 33 or substantially L-shape is disposed :between the bracketmembers andis provided atone end with a hand engaging knob 39, whileits-opposite end is enlarged as'indicate'd at 38',

and formed with, curved recesses or re-entrant ithe'ends of the pinbeing engaged with the walls defining the cam slots 3? so as to providea iulcrum for thehandle, but is also bodily shiftable along'the lengthsof theslots. a

A leaf spring 42 of substantially 'U-shape is .disposed between thebracket members and has itsbight portion seated in a corresponding U-shaped recess 43 formed in the enlarged end of the member38, so as to besupporte ithereby. The spring :acts to prevent undue'play or motionbetween'the handle and valve stems 23-, whenm ember 38 is rockedtoactuate either V io'f the 'valve stems When the member -38 isbodily-shifted and rocked, the pintl 'thereo'f' *ridesihthe slots 31in adirection toward the Valve-stem23 which is to be operated; so thatlatter will thus not be subjected to any binding action.

Similarly, if the valve stem 23 to the left of Figures 4 and dis; to beactuated the lever 38 is shiftedtotheleft but rocked in an upwarddirection as shown in Figure 5. It will thus be seen that thel'ever'isnot" only bodily shifted but also i'ro'rzked in reve'rse directionsaccording to which of the valve stems'23 is to be actuated.

ln'operation:

Assuming the pistonof the servomotor is dis- :posed substantially midwayof the cylinder, and

11 of the valves are closed as shown inF-igure -1,

lever is moved-downwarcfly to-theposition shown in Figure 4. --'I-hisaction causes-shifting cf the :pin 6? toward the right end of the cam'slot eil, resulting in vertical movement -of the valve stem 23' to openthe valves i5 and ZS-dis- "posed at the right of'Figure 4.

V ously exhausted through port 3. hOYiZUHtELIfPES" sage =5, and outletport-3 to a rescrvcinas shown in Figure 4. r

if it is desired to move the piston 0f the servomotor toward the rightof Figure 4, the lever til ismovfed in an upward'direction. This-'-'ctiorrcauses pin I to shiit the lever to the left and than engageand actuate the valvestem 23, land-open :va'lves and 28 at the left ofFigure l, while .the valves i5 and 28- to the 'right'of Figure 4 will beclosed under'th'e influence-of the springs it and 29. With the valves inthe position just described, 'and'also shown in *Figure '5,the-actuating fluid passes through inlet :port 6, thence downwardly:past valve it, through cross pas- ."s-age 1d, and "thence to the leftside of the servo- :nictc'r piston through the outlet .port '9. Thefluid is exhausted from the right-side of the piston by flowing throughthe port 7,: cross passage l'i, thence outwardly through the exhaustport 8 to the reservoir. 7 7

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple, compact' structure isprovided and wherein there is but asingle inlet 6 and asingle outlet 8for the passage =of the actuating fluid regardless of the position ofthe actuating lever.

It is to be understood that the form of the invent-ion here-in shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred sample, of invention, variouschanges in the shape, size and ai r'ang'enient of partsmay be resentedto Without u1 thespirit of the invention or scope of the subjo'inedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for selectively operating a pair of s'lidable valve stems eachhaving a free'end, ineluding an actuating memb'er formed with a pair ofon ed seats for incvably receivin "the free en d'frthe-valve stemstherein, means to mount the member for pivotal movement in oppositedirections and -for bodily -movement to selectively zposition itsseatswith respect to the valve stems, said member having a spring-receivingseat between its valve stem engaging seats, and a, leaf spring in saidspring-receiving seat.

2. Means for alternatively operating a pair of valves having stemsextending in spaced relation toward cooperation with said means, saidvalve operating means comprising a stationary support, an actuatingmember having a pin in slot connection with said support, saidconnection providing a movable fulcrum for said member, said memberbeing shiftable bodily relative to said support by reason of said pin inslot connection to place said fulcrum alternatively in line with saidvalve stems, and seats on said actuating member for engagement with saidvalve stems.

3. Means according to claim 2, characterized by spring means urging saidactuating member yieldingly to an intermediate position wherein saidfulcrum is between said valve members.

4. Means for alternatively operating a pair of valves having stemsextending in spaced relation toward cooperation with said means, saidvalve operating means comprising a stationary support, a slot in saidsupport, the ends of said slot terminating in positions respectively inline with said valve stems, an actuating member formed with portions forcooperative engagement with said valve stems, a pin on said actuatingmem ber extending into said slot and providing in conjunction with saidslot a movable fulcrum for said member, spring means yieldingly holdingsaid actuating member in a position wherein said fulcrum is intermediatethe ends of said slot, said member being shiftable bodily longitudinallyof said slot to place said fulcrum alternatively in line with said valvestems, said member being rotatable about said fulcrum to operate saidstems.

5. Means according to claim 4, characterized in that a surface of saidactuating member is formed with spaced seats complementing the ends ofsaid valve stems, said seats constituting said portions for cooperationwith said stems, said surface being further formed with a recessedportion intermediate said seats receiving said sprin said spring beingof the leaf type.

6. Means for alternatively operating a pair of valves having stemsextending in spaced relation toward cooperation with said means, saidvalve operating means comprising a support, an actuating member having apin in slot connection with said support, said connection providing amovable fulcrum for said member, said pin in slot connection furtherbeing constructed and arranged with respect to said valve stems as topermit said fulcrum to be moved alternatively into positions in linewith said stems by bodily shifting said member, and portions on saidactuating member brought by such movement into cooperative engagementwith said valve stems, said actuating member being shiftable androtatable in one sense to operate one of said valve stems and beingshiftable and rotatable in an opposed sense to operate the other of saidvalve stems.

WARDE L. PARKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Sept,1, 1921 Number Number

